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The Citizen, 2000-08-16, Page 12PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2000. The Minister's Study The way the wind blows By Rev. Cathrine Campbell Melville Presbyterian When you are walking around Brussels and look upward there are a number of houses that have weather vanes. Some are elaborate, some are quite plain and some are just curious. What did the owner mean by putting that up? Some are not on houses at all. What they all have in common, of course, is that they tell you which way the wind is blowing. And who cares? Well, if you are a farmer you need to know what the weather is going to be like in the next while and the wind direction can tell you a lot about what may be coming next. It does help to be aware of your loca­ tion When I lived in Brampton, the wind from the west brought the storms, the wind from the south brought the heat and the wind from the north brought the cold. Rarely do I remember wind from the east. It has taken me some time to come to grip with the fact that those that I meet on my morning walks with Hector who then tell me there is bad weather coming because the wind is from the east are ABSOLUTELY RIGHT! It still takes me time to figure that out but at least I now understand it has something to do with being near Lake Huron and not Lake Ontario. And the one thing you cannot do is stop the wind. As scripture says “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tel) where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone bom of the Spirit." ( John 3:8) And that is one of the many pieces of good news in the scripture for it tells us that God’s love is all encom­ passing, all powerful and all caring. God doesn’t look at us to see what we want. He looks at us to see what we need and then gives us the quick­ ening Spirit to be able to do what is most growthful in his sight. Like the weather vane we are to show the might, the caring and the direction of God’s love. We do not say, ‘Well I think I will face north” when the wind is from the west any more than the little windmill I pass every day would decide it was tired of showing the way the wind was blowing so decided to stand on its head for a while. A spirit-filled life is a free life but it is not an undirected life. For when you acknowledge the power of God's Holy Spirit in understanding and accepting that we are God’s creatures with a powerful guide in our Saviour we have no further cause for fear. The Spirit, like the wind is a pro­ peller for our sail, not a threat to our house, and as we move WITH not AGAINST this live giving wind we will find that when we come to our final mooring we will be on a heav­ enly shore where we will know, with thanksgiving, the reality of that Irish Blessing. "May the road rise up to greet you and the wind be always at your back.” ftlea&e join u& [a* uimhip tfuA Sunday, Morning Worship Service ~ 10 a.m. Evening Worship Service ~ 7:30 p.m. “Live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. " 1 Peter 3:8 HURON CHAPEL EVANGELICAL MISSIONARY CHURCH Auburn - 526-7555 PASTOR DAVE WOOD - 523-9017 Give Someone a Second Chance. Discuss organ donation with your family. the Kidney foundation of Canada BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH • Rev. Adrian A. Van Geest A Hwy. 4, Blyth 523-9233 Wheelchair accessible THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA 7/au aie welcome this Sunday. AUGUST 20 - PENTECOST 10 MORNING PRAYER Trinity, Blyth St.Johns, 9:30 a.m. Brussels Wheelchair accessible 11:15 a.m. Rev. Nancy Beale - Rector - 887-9273 Oh give, tfianl^s tu trie fyaa, av,e inu-ited ta ‘Itlc.fi&fkifi, utitfb u,& at Brussels Mennonite Fellowship 10:00 a.m. each Sunday during August (no Sunday School) Everyone Welcome Pastor Ben Wiebe 887-6388 BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA Joan Golden - Supply Minister Church Office 887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wcl.on.ca The congregation of Brussels United Church will be worshipping at Melville Presbyterian Church for the month of August Ethel United Church - No Sunday Services during the month of August All are welcome to come and worship with us Communion - 9:45 - 10:30 Family Bible Hour and Sunday School 11:00 - 12:00 Prayer & Bible Study Tuesday 8 p.m. Cornerstone Bible Fellowship < Ethel John 14:6 - Jesus said, "I am the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE, no one comes to the Father, but through Me." Everyone Welcome For more information call 887-6665 Kids! It’s time for Vacation Bible School! Join Mr. Whittaker and the Odyssey gang for Bible stories, songs, snacks, crafts and games! For kids ages Jr. Kindergarten - Grade 8 Sunday Wednesday Friday, Aug. 18 9:30 a.m. 10:30 a.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. Family Bible Hour Morning Worship Service Evening Worship Service Prayer & Bible Study Closing program for vacation Bible School. All Welcome MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS 11:00 a.m. - Morning Service Sunday School 9:30 a.m. - Belgrave Service Wheelchair accessible Nursery care available We welcome you to come and worship with us. Rev. Cathrine Campbell - 887-9831 Blyth United Church Blyth United Church will be closed for the month of August. Services will be held at the Blyth Church of God. Blyth United will re-open August 28. Come Tho t n&A rr<?* ijviu rum vo Sundays - 11:00 a.m. Worship Service Minister ~ Rev. Ernest Dow ALL ARE WELCOME 523-4224 Blyth Community Church of God No regular services Sunday, August 20 Plan to join us at Family Camp, Thamesford, this Sunday 523-4590 In Search of Champions Cornerstone Bible Fellowship 85 Main St., Ethel August 21-25th 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Plan to join us at Family Camp, Thamesford Sunday, August 20 w " " .£■. ' ....... You are welcome at the BLYTH COMMUNITY | CHURCH OF GOD Sunday, August 27 9:45 a.m. - Sunday School for adults & children 11:00 a.m.- Morning Worship ^ome early f°r c°ffee & donuts A Stay late for potluck lunch J to follow the morning worship service A special welcome to our guests, the Blyth United Church Congregation Please note ~ Vie will be meeting at our j new church building 308 Blyth Road 523-4590 J